Gold edges higher after snapping 3-week skid

Gold futures edged higher Monday, looking to build on last week's rise as investors continue to monitor bond yields and the U.S. dollar.

"Hammered by [U.S. dollar] strength and the backup in rates, gold's multi-month downtrend is forming a base that recently embraced the support at $1,680, paving the way for the ongoing uptrend," said Stephen Innes, chief global markets strategist at Axi, in a note.

In Monday dealings, gold for April delivery was up $5.40, or 0.3%, at $1,725.20 an ounce on Comex. May silver futures were up 31.4 cents, or 1.2%, at $26.225 an ounce.

Prices saw volatile trading after the release of U.S. economic data on Monday, with prices eventually paring much of their earlier gains. The March Empire State Manufacturing Index rose to a reading of 17.4 from 12.1 in February, the New York Fed said Monday.

Gold ended lower Friday but posted a weekly rise of 1.3%, while silver was up 2.5% for the week. Both metals snapped a three-week skid of falling prices that came as Treasury yields marched higher due, in part, to rising inflation fears stoked by expectations for an accelerated economic recovery. Higher bond yields raise the opportunity cost of holding nonyielding assets like gold.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was off 2.1 basis points at 1.614%. Yields and bond prices move in opposite directions.

"Gold is attempting to stabilize after the recent pullback," but if Treasurys bonds continue to fall sharply, prompting yields, which trade inversely to bonds, to spike higher, "then it will be effectively impossible for gold to hold recent lows," analysts at Sevens Report Research wrote in Monday's newsletter.

Gold investors await the outcome of the Federal Reserve's two-day Open Market Committee meeting which ends Wednesday with a statement on monetary policy.

While no change in policy is expected at this week's meeting, "traders will be closely scrutinizing wording on the Fed's economic growth and inflation prospects," said Jim Wyckoff, senior analyst at Kitco.com, in a note.

Among other metals traded on Comex, May copper traded at $4.141 a pound, up less than 0.05%. April platinum rose 1.1% to $1,213.60 an ounce and June palladium added 1.3% to $2,388 an ounce.